The firm alliance between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties appeared to be unraveling this past summer, even prompting speculation about its possible demise under certain conditions.
The spread of the coronavirus was still under control at the time, and the government approved a proposal by Health Minister Yuli Edelstein of the Likud to increase the number of guests allowed in hotel dining rooms beyond the previous limit. Leaders of the two ultra-Orthodox parties, Interior Minister and Shas Party chair Aryeh Deri and Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman of Yahadut HaTorah, were livid with Netanyahu, accusing him of relaxing restrictions so hotel guests could enjoy themselves while synagogue prayers were still under severe curbs. They already had a bellyful over Netanyahu’s refusal to block Knesset legislation banning homosexual conversion therapy.
